-To O’Mahony from J. Hamilton(Stephens)-January 18, 1865

18 Jan. 1865, Dublin. 'My dear nephew, I write in extremest wonder and anxiety. What can be the cause of your long silence ? Of course you know and should always bear in mind that I attach no blame whatever to you, convinced as I am that you always do your very best. But to what woful influence or combination of circumstances has your silence been owing ? You must know, whatever may be known to others, the danger of silence now. But even you cannot be aware of all the danger, else you would not have left me unaided so long. And yet I have written to you in this head and in what I deemed very strong language. In a letter written a week before Mr C. [Philip Coyne] left I mentioned how the ^190 received just then had staved off ruin and how a little more delay would have been fatal. Again, in the long better brought out by Mr C. I made known the necessities of our position. A week after this I stated, always in what to me appeared strong language, how much we needed money—how-fatal it would be not to receive a comparatively large sum within a given time. I asked for {,1,000 for the three ensuing months—meaning the months of January, February, and March. In a fourth letter I made the same statement. Now sufficient time has gone by to admit of answers to the two first letters certainly and probably to the third. Yet I have no received a single line. Again I ask to what this silence has been owing ? What do our friends mean ? If, after the report brought out by Mr C., the friends of Ireland in America do not speedily prove themselves real friends, all our efforts have been fruitless and our race is doomed.

'Because, the event must take place when stated, or never. And to take place, without the certainty of failure, succour must come soon and largely. It may come too late now. If no remittance come before you meet out there it will I fear be too late; and it will

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certainly be too late if you delay even a week after meeting. As it is, serious wrong and injury have been done us by delay, and though the injury may be made good in other ways, still it is deplorable. Besides, it is madness to expose us to these frequent chances of ruin. By reducing my immediate friends to great straits and risks of various and serious kinds, and by reducing all dependent on us to a starvation pittance, we have been enabled to exist for weeks. And it is only in the same way we can exist till we hear from you. No living men could stand this state of things long. Privation alone would make the vast majority of other men give in. But what is the test of privation, however severe, to that to which their faith is now submitted ? Great things are to be done but where are the means ? Millions are to be freely given by men who now refuse thousands. And yet the thousands are as necessary now as the millions can possibly be at a later period.

'Do our friends yonder understand our position ? This question is frequently put to me. Of course I say that I have done all I could under the circumstances to make our position understood. Then, friends here cannot possibly understand friends yonder, and but for my assurances and reasonings very few men here would now look in faith to your side. Another question frequently asked is, "Could the Irish out there be got to do what we want ?" This question is almost invariably in reference to money, very few now deeming anything else necessary. I can answer the question conscientiously in the affirmative, assuring my friends that if properly handled the Irish yonder would be proud and willing to do all we want; that they could do it admits of no doubt at all. There is now so much discussion going on here on these matters that should I appear to want money for any time the faith of all who hold the framework together would be seriously disturbed if not shivered and lost forever. Think what good right the friends here have to be dissatisfied and critical. Some are dissatisfied knowing the weakness of the house yonder. These, though few, are very important. But the large number are dissatisfied because while believing the house strong they see me without the aid I need so much. One final word on this head— men's minds are now in such a state that any serious disappointment to their expectations would be fatal.

'A few words about myself. No other living man could bear what I am bearing. Nor could I, whatever my force of will and power of endurance, continue to bear it long. Owing to this continued want of money the risk I run is increased a hundredfold. Is this fair ? Is it just or wise to subject me to all but the certainty of arrest ? An equally if not more deplorable consummation would be a state of health .... [Illegible owing to inkstain; four letters] broken as to leave me next to useless. Weigh these words well and do your best to make others understand their full significance.

'Persecution is rife. Many have already been deprived of their means of life through the influence of the clergy. Some arrests have been made, too. One of these has been directly owing to the infamous conduct of a bad priest. The others should be attributed partly to imprudence and partly to the watchfulness occasioned by felon-setters of all kinds. Little beyond the imprisonment before trial can come out of any of these cases. Look on them as exceptions to a well-established rule : to all but the purblind they should prove the impregnability of the fortress and the general prudence of its defenders. "National" Associations, Leagues, Brotherhoods, etc., [are] beneath notice from me. I leave them to the paper. Yours affectionately.'

Endorsed: Doc. "B a." C.E. no. 2. P. 4 (across text), C.E. January 18 1865. P. 6 (across text), Jan. 18 1864 [sic}.